SPOT GPS Messenger, trail review - I love this thing!
- Thread starter lshobie
- Start date
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They work great! I took mine in our plane when I flew over the North Atlantic all the way to India, and I used it there. Footprints all around the world, never let me down. I'm thinking of upgrading to the "Connect" so I can send a different message if need be. I won't leave home without it now.
I used mine for our last Yellowstone trip. I clicked "ok" a thousand times. I let everyone know what it meant and that the Google map mark showed EXACTLY where I was. Well my son and I rented a boat to go fishing on Yellowstone Lake...where I then pressed "ok".
When I finally got cell reception when we were getting dinner at Old Faithful lodge I got four messages and three txts asking if I was alright and what happened? Turns out everyone freaked out because the Google Map showed us in the middle of the lake but we never mentioned the boat
When I finally got cell reception when we were getting dinner at Old Faithful lodge I got four messages and three txts asking if I was alright and what happened? Turns out everyone freaked out because the Google Map showed us in the middle of the lake but we never mentioned the boat
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- Sep 17, 2003
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- Sunnyvale, CA
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- www.george4wd.taskled.com
Yeah, Spot works quite well and quite reliably. I've used it under fairly thick tree cover and was impressed it reliably got each message out. I've used it on trips with the kids when the wife is at home.
I used it last year when in the middle of nowhere in the oz bush and it worked great. Out there tree cover is minimal
and I feel pretty confident getting a message out after the unit has been on a few minutes. Under heavy cover I let it run for 20 - 30 minutes to allow it to send several tries.
I've set Spot up with 2 messages. The standard OK message means everything is ok and we're NOT moving. If a move is planned, then I send the Custom message that says everything is ok and we ARE moving. Makes it easier for folk on the contact list to know what the intended plan is. The agreement is I send 3 messages per day (if all is good), one in the morning (breakfast time) one at midday (when stopped for lunch) and one in the evening (dinner time).
NOW, a KEY thing I've learned to do.... I have a small spring loaded carabiner with a BRIGHT YELLOW shock cord loop. EVERY TIME Spot is removed and placed outside (on the roof of the vehicle etc) to send a fix, the carabiner/shock cord is removed and locked around the steering wheel of the vehicle. Once a fix has been sent it is removed from the steering wheel and clipped back onto the back of the spot unit and placed back into the center console.
That way there is NO chance of driving off without the Spot unit - unless I'm totally blind and don't noticed the carabiner/shock cord on the steering wheel. These are the fingers of experience typing here...
cheers,
george.
I used it last year when in the middle of nowhere in the oz bush and it worked great. Out there tree cover is minimal
and I feel pretty confident getting a message out after the unit has been on a few minutes. Under heavy cover I let it run for 20 - 30 minutes to allow it to send several tries.I've set Spot up with 2 messages. The standard OK message means everything is ok and we're NOT moving. If a move is planned, then I send the Custom message that says everything is ok and we ARE moving. Makes it easier for folk on the contact list to know what the intended plan is. The agreement is I send 3 messages per day (if all is good), one in the morning (breakfast time) one at midday (when stopped for lunch) and one in the evening (dinner time).
NOW, a KEY thing I've learned to do.... I have a small spring loaded carabiner with a BRIGHT YELLOW shock cord loop. EVERY TIME Spot is removed and placed outside (on the roof of the vehicle etc) to send a fix, the carabiner/shock cord is removed and locked around the steering wheel of the vehicle. Once a fix has been sent it is removed from the steering wheel and clipped back onto the back of the spot unit and placed back into the center console.
That way there is NO chance of driving off without the Spot unit - unless I'm totally blind and don't noticed the carabiner/shock cord on the steering wheel. These are the fingers of experience typing here...
cheers,
george.